Table of Contents

May 2, 2000; 132 (9)

Articles

  • Postmenopausal therapy with estrogen plus progestin increases risk for venous thromboembolism in women with coronary heart disease. This risk should be considered when the risks and benefits of therapy are being weighed.

  • Compared with normal-weight women, overweight and obese women were less likely to be screened for cervical and breast cancer with Papanicolaou smears and mammography, even after adjustment for other known barriers to care. Because overweight and obese women have higher rates of death from cervical and breast cancer, they should be targeted for increased screening.

  • Data from tumor registries were found to provide accurate measures for hospital-based surgical treatments but not for outpatient treatment. Unverified tumor registry data should not be used to measure quality of care.

Brief Communications

  • In seven healthy marathon runners, noncardiogenic pulmonary edema was associated with hyponatremic encephalopathy. The condition may be fatal if it is not diagnosed, and it can be successfully treated with hypertonic NaCl.

Academia and Clinic

  • Many studies of clinical equivalence do not set boundaries for equivalence. Claims of “difference” or “similarity” are often made not by thoughtful examination of the data but by tests of statistical significance that are frequently misapplied or accompanied by inadequate sample sizes. These methodologic flaws can lead to false claims, inconsistencies, and harm to patients.

Review

  • This review focuses on specific treatments available for hepatitis B and discusses the replication of the hepatitis B virus to facilitate understanding of the mechanism of action of nucleoside analogues.

Position Papers

  • This guideline answers the following questions: What evidence supports the benefits of pharmacologic treatment of depression? What are the data on the efficacy and side effects of newer compared with older pharmacotherapies? How can the evidence assist physicians and patients in making informed decisions about treatment options?

  • Newer antidepressants are clearly effective for treating depressive disorders in diverse settings. Because of similar efficacy, both newer and older antidepressants should be considered when treatment decisions are being made. Better information is urgently needed on the efficacy of newer antidepressants in patients with nonmajor depression and in special populations.

Editorials

  • The study by Wee and colleagues in this issue highlights the need for new approaches to assessing quality of care.

  • Multiple myeloma is a difficult and frustrating disease to treat. Although bisphosphonates are clearly not a panacea, they represent an advance in skeletal benefit and symptom control that is meaningful for both patients and physicians.

On Being a Doctor

  • Sometimes, after a particularly difficult day, I sift through my box to be reminded and sustained by these special encounters in my journey as a physician.

Letters

Medical Writings

  • This essay discusses several books on the continuing discovery of the frequency and effect of medical errors.

Medical Writings: Book Notes

Ad Libitum

Book Listings

Medical Notices

Summaries for Patients